Convincing
by Teenaged Assassin
Summary: OneShot, Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke Fic How did Firedrake convince the other dragons to come to the Rim of Heaven and say that Nettlebrand was gone? Warning: Skips a little bit, not what you'd expect...


_**Convincing**_

Summary: One-Shot, _Dragon Rider _by Cornelia Funke Fic How did Firedrake convince the other dragons to come to the Rim of Heaven and say that Nettlebrand was gone?

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke and it's contents but this fic, and my own dragons.

Hello! Dragon Rider was first boring, but picking up to it made me feel like wondering, "How did Firedrake convince the others?" This is a One-Shot. Please, no flames. Constructive criticism wanted.

Firedrake spread his long wings outward. He landed on a grassy field. A large cave led straight ahead.

Sorrell, the brownie on Firedrake's back, replied grumpily, "Well, it's about _time _we landed on the ground! I thought I'd never see this place again!"

"Hang on, Sorrell," Firedrake replied calmly. He knew Sorrell hated waiting. _Especially _when Maia, the other dragon that befriended Firedrake and Sorrell (along with Ben and Twigleg, who were now at the Greenblooms' housing.) was slower than usual.

Sorrell popped open her backpack and smacked a mushroom in her mouth.

"Why should I?" she replied after swallowing the mushroom. She smacked her lips softly.

Maia finally landed right next to Firedrake. She outstretched her wings and settled on the ground. Burr-Burr-Chan, the four-armed Dubadi brownie, finally cried like Sorrell did, "Oh, thank goodness! So this is where you two lived before?"

"Yes." Firedrake and Sorrell said in unison. It was sad that it would be flooded with humans taking over.

"It's awfully beautiful, Firedrake," Maia tried cheering them up.

Silence fell for almost two minutes.

A buzzing noise came, breaking the silence between the four. It was a toy airplane that had a rat inside it.

"Oh, finally!" the rat said. "I never thought we'd get here."

Firedrake chuckled. "Oh, Lola. You and Sorrell must be relatives!" he replied softly. Maia laughed along with Burr-Burr-Chan. Sorrell and Lola looked at the three crossly.

"I'm _not _a relative with a _rat_." Sorrell crossed her arms and angrily replied. "Besides, aren't we supposed to get the others?"

"Oh yes, the others!" Lola brought up another subject. "Where are they? I'd love to see them."

"Okay. Everyone follow me," Firedrake started walking to the cave.

Maia is behind him and Sorrell, Burr-Burr-Chan on her back, and Lola on Burr-Burr-Chan's shoulder. Her plane was tied to Maia's tail.

"Oh, this is a lovely place," Maia called out. It was dark and the moon was still out, but it was a beautiful sight anyways.

"Thank you! Home of the best mushrooms!" Sorrell readily answered. Burr-Burr-Chan's face glowed. He, too, was a brownie with mushrooms on his mind.

"Oh, you brownies and mushrooms," Lola chuckled. But she wasn't joking.

"Here's the cave!" Firedrake yelled aloud. The cave was larger than farther out.

"This is a little smaller than the other cave in the Rim of Heaven," Maia pointed out.

"Oh yes, it is." Burr-Burr-Chan replied. "_Much _smaller. But we Dubadi brownies try to make things special for those 400,000 dragons. By the way, can anyone make contact with Gravelbeard?" Gravelbeard was a mountain dwarf that served Nettlebrand the Golden One for a short time. He was trying to free the dragons that had turned to stone.

"You can go to the lake. But make it quick. It's almost sunrise." Firedrake pointed out. Burr-Burr-Chan slid off Maia's back and followed to the lake.

The rest followed Firedrake into the cave's mouth. A small-but-large-enough fire was burning in an alcove a few feet away from the two dragons and brownies.

"Ah, Firedrake. Sorrell. You've returned. Have you found the Rim of Heaven?" a dragon approached the four. It was the Old One. "And who are these two?"

"Hello, Old One. We have too found the Rim of Heaven. And this is Maia and Lola Graytail." Firedrake told the older silver dragon.

"Yes, and Nettlebrand the Golden One is gone!" Sorrell peeped.

A long silence came upon the five.

"Did you say _'The Golden One?'_" The Old One broke the silence.

"Yes. He's gone. Poof. Gone." Sorrell proudly beamed.

"I see."

Maia spoke up. "What she means," she said louder than usual voice, "Is that Nettlebrand is not here anymore. He had been destroyed."

"Oh, and is this the truth, Firedrake?" The Old One asked impatiently.

"Yes, Old One. It is."

The Old One sighed. "Well, you are wondering where the others are. Come with me, Firedrake and Maia."

"Hey, whadda 'bout us?" Lola and Sorrell said together.

"Wait here, you two. I need the two dragons now." The Old One smiled at the two.

"That's not fair! We stopped Nettle—" Sorrell began protesting. She was cut off by Firedrake.

"Do what he says, Sorrell. You too, Lola. He needs us right now."

Sorrell grumbled. Lola shook her head. They two walked away, pretending to be interested with the cave.

"Graywing," the Old One called out, "Firedrake is back. And this is Maia."

Another silver dragon, only with a pudgier face, turned around to see Firedrake and Maia.

"Firedrake! Hello! Have you done it?" He asked impatiently.

"Relax, Graywing," the Old One replied before Firedrake could answer, "They've come on a dangerous journey. Please inform the others."

Graywing huffed and went into another opening.

"So, how did you defeat the Golden One? I want to know." The Old One laid down and spoke inventively.

"Brownie spit." Maia replied urgently. She beamed, but realized she hadn't given the whole idea.

"Brownie spit _and_ dragon fire. It melted the scales. It was all thanks to Gravelbeard for smearing it all over him and Twigleg, the Golden One's ex-armor cleaner, for making up the idea," Firedrake concluded.

"Oh, yes. I see. Look, here comes Graywing and the others."

Graywing was returning with about twelve other dragons.

"Where are the others?" Firedrake asked.

"They have died because of no moon for twelve weeks." Graywing replied slowly.

"Yes, that is true, but please tell your story!" cried out a voice.

"Firedrake, go on." Maia pushed him forward. "I don't know most of these dragons. Please tell about that sea serpent and the Dragon Rider, and how the Golden One died…and—''

"The Golden One! Dragon Rider! Has he returned?" Cries came from the crowd.

"Calm yourself down, dragons. We must listen." The Old One calmed down the commotion.

Firedrake went to the center of the room. He slowly began the story.

After finishing the story, and echo of "Oohs" and "Aahs" filled the room.

"But you must come to the Rim of Heaven. There is lots of dragons and food."

Graywing, and two other dragons named Melbourne and Watereyes, agreed to Firedrake and Maia's plan. But the rest, including the Old One, backed out.

"We cannot risk being seen, or humans will find out about us," the Old One hastily replied.

"But the place will be flooded and humans will come in!" came Lola's voice from the other end of the room.

All the dragons turned to see Sorrell and Lola laying on the rock-ground.

"Sorry to interrupt," Lola concluded, "But it is true. Sorrell told me about it. You cannot risk being caught, but you cannot risk being killed by humans."

"The rat is right!" said one dragon.

"No, enough, Slatefore! We are not going to the Rim of Heaven!" The Old One angrily cried.

"You wanted to! You have to!" Sorrell cried. "You're not going to let your life be wasted just because of a 'risk.'"

Another long silence spread upon the room. Suddenly Burr-Burr-Chan came.

"I've gotten to Gravelbeard. He has five dragons out now. Hey, why is everything so quiet?" He looked around.

"Sorry, Firedrake. You must return to the Rim of Heaven with Maia and Sorrell. Including the rat and four-armed brownie," The Old One nodded them away.

"Just think of your life being wasted," Sorrell cried aloud. Firedrake, Maia, Burr-Burr-Chan, Sorrell, and Lola left the cavern.

Suddenly, Graywing said, "I'm coming with you."

"Me too," said Melbourne.

"Me three," Watereyes agreed.

"Don't forget me!" Came another cried.

"What about me?"

"Hey, you can't leave without us!"

Cries around the room made a large group. All the dragons but the Old One was with Maia and Firedrake, Sorrell and Burr-Burr-Chan, and Lola.

"Okay, yes. I'll go. But we'll be risking something unpleasant!" The Old One walked with them to the end of the cavern.

"And we'll have no risks."

The dragons stretched their wings, flew up, and flew till the sun had come up.

_The End_

It is finished. Sorry for the ending. I might start a new story called "The New Beast." It is also a Dragon Rider which takes after the book. Please read when it comes out!


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